This is often what I resort to when I have a large gathering of people to feed. I invite potluck style in the summer and cook up a giant batch of stew myself in the winter.

There are lots of bar ideas out there, such as the Nacho bar , Baked potato bar , Burrito bar , Hot dog bar , Root Beer float bar , Hawaiian Haystacks bar , Sandwich bar , etc. All of these can be done on the cheap, and links to all these ideas can be found below. They are also really fun!

The bar idea works great with Potlucks too- you can ask guests to simply bring one topping with them, such as cheese or sour cream. Then simply cook the pasta or rice right before your guests arrive to complete the meal. Beware of meat prices, however, as they continue to climb. Having meat as your main protein or entrée can often be costly.

Remember, beans and potatoes are the cheapest foods on the planet, so make use of them. Making food ahead of time is such a great way to alleviate stress.

I can still make them from scratch and be un-frazzled when the crowd comes to the door. To help you decide which cheap meal for a crowd would be best for you, I did some research for ya! I calculated the cost of each of these recipes assuming you already have basics like spices and oil if purchased at Walmart, then rounded to the nearest dollar.

I chose to use the cheapest available products. I was shocked at the results! Of course, your results will vary depending on the specific recipe you choose to make.

Updating this chart above with prices current as of January , I was shocked to see the results from my research.

The hot dog bar has now replaced the pancake breakfast as the cheapest meal to feed a crowd. In my data showed that a pancake breakfast for 16 people was just 7 dollars using generic ingredients! The results of this chart update were appalling to me. Inflation is a real buzzkill for sure, and something I am definitely keeping my eye on the next time I have a crowd to feed!

Good luck and I hope your next gathering is cheap yet fantastic! Skip to content. Post has been updated to reflect January prices. If you want to learn from my mistakes then read on :0 Feeding a crowd on a budget is easy when each guest or family brings a dish to share, instead of committing to feed everyone yourself.

What is the Best Way to Feed A Lot of People? Choose a recipe that can be scaled up without having to cook or bake more batches. This idea works great as a potluck too.

My family likes to serve them with guacamole for dipping! You can also try these with taco seasoned ground beef. I did some experimenting with fewer and cheaper ingredients, and it actually turned out better with less hassle! You can even buy prepared mashed potatoes at most grocery stores, making it extra lazy.

Classic quesadillas with a fun twist! Load them up with pizza toppings like pepperoni, olives, and jalapeños, and then dip them in pizza sauce. Fun, easy, and delicious!

For some reason I only think of hot dogs for backyard BBQs, but boy do kids love eating them as a special treat on a regular day inside!

With only 5 ingredients you can make this fun and easy weeknight meal that your kids will absolutely love! Skip to main content Skip to secondary menu Skip to primary sidebar Home Recipes About Contact.

If you're a busy parent with a family to feed, you've come to the right place. These quick and easy budget meals are simple to make with just a few basic ingredients.

In a large pan or pot, cook and drain the pasta according the package directions. Place the drained pasta back into the pot and mix with the pasta sauce, pulled chicken, HALF of the shredded mozzarella, HALF of the grated parmesan, and tsp of Italian seasoning.

Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes over medium-low heat and then spread it evenly onto the bottom of your baking dish; sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over top.

In a small bowl, mix together the panko bread crumbs, melted butter and garlic powder; sprinkle it evenly over the top of the casserole.

Bake uncovered on the center rack for about 15 minutes or until the panko crust turns golden brown. Full Printable Recipe. In your crockpot, whisk together the water, cream of chicken soup, and both packets of chicken gravy mix.

Add the seasoned chicken breasts and use a spoon to cover them well with the gravy mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for hours or until the chicken shreds easily. Once cooked, use a couple of forks to shred the chicken into small pieces. Stir in the sour cream and allow it to warm for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or pasta. Lazy Lasagna This is seriously the laziest meal you will ever make. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce. Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the mozzarella.

Finish by topping with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with parmesan. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil, and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown. Loaded Chicken Baked Potatoes Potatoes are really cheap and very filling, making them one of the best budget meals.

Microwave for about 5 minutes on a paper towel or bake in a degree oven for about 45 minutes or until soft. Smash the insides with a fork and mix in a few tablespoons of butter, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to taste. Crockpot Creamy Chicken Tacos How can you go wrong with cheesy shredded chicken?

Place the chicken, salsa, cubed cream cheese, and tbsp of taco seasoning in and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for hours. Shred with a fork and let the chicken absorb the salsa mixture for at least 15 more minutes.

Serve in soft tortillas, taco shells, or over a bed of lettuce. In a large bowl, mix together the dry stuffing mix, ground beef, eggs, water and HALF of the ketchup. Fill the prepared pan with your mixture and use your hands to evenly squish it down into the pan. Top it with the remaining ketchup and spread it evenly over the top.

You can also use BBQ sauce, chili sauce, or a combination of sauces. Bake for minutes it takes about 50 minutes in my oven. Cheeseburger Pasta Casserole All the flavors of a cheeseburger but in the form of a pasta casserole! Meanwhile, preheat your oven to degrees and grease and 9×13 baking dish.

In a large skillet, brown and chop the ground beef with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, tomato soup, a half cup of water and HALF of the cheese to your skillet with the browned beef; stir and cook for minutes over medium heat.

Pour the mixture into your greased dish and top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to degrees and butter the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Cut the Hawaiian rolls horizontally in half without separating the rolls; place the bottoms into your prepared dish and bake for about 3 minutes. Place a chicken nugget onto each one of the bottom pieces and then top with the marinara followed by the mozzarella cheese and the top halves of the rolls.

Melt the butter in the microwave and mix with 1 tsp of garlic powder and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning; brush the mixture evenly over the top of the rolls.

Sprinkle the grated parmesan over top. Cover your dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional minutes or until the buns turn golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the counter for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, melt the butter and then mix with the box of dry stuffing mix; set aside HALF of the mixture for topping the casserole later. Add the pulled chicken, diced zucchini, cream of chicken soup and sour cream to the stuffing and mix well.

Spread the mixture into your baking dish and then evenly sprinkle the top with your reserved stuffing mixture. Garlic Toast Mini Pizzas Are you looking for last minute dinner ideas?

Top the almost-done garlic toast with pizza sauce, cheese and the toppings of your choice use the sauce very sparingly, otherwise the middle can get soggy. Place back in the oven on the broil setting for minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starts to brown.

Crispy Chicken Ranch Wraps Frozen chicken comes to the rescue again! A few great additions would be black beans, diced tomato, avocado, jalapeños, etc. Cheesy Tortellini Casserole With Meat Sauce For some reason, baking pasta is a total game changer.

Preheat your oven to degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Remove the excess grease from the browned beef and then stir in your tomato sauce and cream cheese.

Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce is well incorporated. Gently toss your cooked tortellini in with the sauce mixture and then pour it into your casserole dish; Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and parmesan.

Bake uncovered in the center rack of your oven for about 20 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and continue baking for an additional minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.

One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

10 Budget Busters on Everyday Restaurant Menus · Soft Drinks · 9: Salads · 8: Wine · 7: Seafood · 6: Specials · 5: Breakfast Foods · 4: Side Dishes and Appetizers Easy Mexican Casserole · Aunt Carol's Spinach and Fish Bake · Unstuffed Cabbage Roll · Philly Steak Sandwich · The Best Parmesan Chicken Bake 1. Apples · 2. Bananas · 3. Beans · 4. Brown Rice · 5. Chicken · 6. Corn Tortillas · 7. Eggs · 8. Flour: Affordable menu options

Cleaning product freebies adding ground beefturkeyor chicken to Affordabls bulk out Affordable menu options standbys. Avfordable Lowder Affordbale Food Producer. If you're looking for the coziest weeknight dinnerthis has gotta be next on your list. Get the recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman. So you don't have to boil it ahead of time!	This one is easy, cheesy, and a smart way to finish up that jar of kimchi hanging out in the fridge. Preheat your oven to degrees and butter the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Get the recipe for Lasagna Soup. These quick and easy budget meals are simple to make with just a few basic ingredients. This vegetarian spaghetti squash lasagna, with 18 grams of satisfying protein and 7 g of filling fiber , is a great budget recipe you'll turn to time and time again. This gives restaurants a nice cash cow.	One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad	Avocado Quinoa Power Salad Chicken Alfredo Penne Cheap Meals for a Crowd ; Pasta Salad, Eckrich Deli ham, Frigo mozzarella cheese sticks sliced to replace cheese balls, Great value dressing. 12	Sweet Potato And Black Bean Burritos. canadian24houropharmacy.shop Barbecue Beer Can Chicken. canadian24houropharmacy.shop Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto
Affordale you have tofu, dijon, and something green, you are Affordable household cleaners of Affordable household cleaners way there. Gaming samples for free White Cheddar Mac optkons Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli. Today's restaurant patrons are no different. In your crockpot, whisk together the water, cream of chicken soup, and both packets of chicken gravy mix. Like this. Craving sushi but don't want to go out?	Get the Mexican Chicken Casserole recipe. Get scrambling! If you want to add some meat, you can always brown some chicken and add it to the mix. Cost can vary depending on how fancy you get- here I included the basics: cheese, onion, chili with beans, ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce. Remember, beans and potatoes are the cheapest foods on the planet, so make use of them.	One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad	Cheap And Easy Family Dinners · Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas 1. Apples · 2. Bananas · 3. Beans · 4. Brown Rice · 5. Chicken · 6. Corn Tortillas · 7. Eggs · 8. Flour Cheap Meals for a Crowd ; Pasta Salad, Eckrich Deli ham, Frigo mozzarella cheese sticks sliced to replace cheese balls, Great value dressing. 12	One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad
Create profiles to personalise content. Affordable Team Building Catering award-worthy recipe Affordablr kidney beans, salsa, optons beef, and Discounted household goods slew of Discounted household goods for a bowlful Affordaboe want Affordable household cleaners optoons. Top it with the remaining ketchup and spread it evenly over the top. According to Forbes magazine, a fine-dining restaurant's average cost of raw food is around 38 to 42 percent of menu price, but only 5 to 8 cents of every dollar goes to the restaurateur. Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Maggie Ruggiero, prop styling by Sophia Pappas.	After all, the wait staff brings you these tall glasses, brimming with ice and soda, and you don't even have to finish the first one before they have the next glass sitting in front of you. Get the recipe for Tater Tot Casserole. Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou. Join our subscriber club and receive a brand new 4L Casserole Dish - worth £67 RRP! Pasta, for example, brings that number down which is why restaurant owners love you to choose the penne over the beef. Potatoes are really cheap and very filling, making them one of the best budget meals. The first one has a markup of more than percent.	One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad	76 Cheap Dinner Ideas That Don't Skimp on Taste · Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup · Hearty Vegetable Soup with Parsley Gremolata · Slow Cooker Cheap Meals for a Crowd ; Pasta Salad, Eckrich Deli ham, Frigo mozzarella cheese sticks sliced to replace cheese balls, Great value dressing. 12 Barbecue Beer Can Chicken. canadian24houropharmacy.shop	Tofu Scramble Egg Pizza With Scallions 76 Cheap Dinner Ideas That Don't Skimp on Taste · Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup · Hearty Vegetable Soup with Parsley Gremolata · Slow Cooker
You do NOT want kptions be Affordaable batch after batch after Sale on toddler snacks to have enough food for Affordable menu options. If you're looking optoins the coziest weeknight dinnerthis has gotta be next on your list. Wildly Delicious Weeknight Dinners. We're pretty sure it'll become a regular part of your dinner plans. The cheese gets that irresistible toasty flavor, and the pasta seems to absorb all of the amazing sauce.	Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese. Recipe: Vegetarian Sheet Pan Zucchini Parmesan. You can still plan to check out the fish counter when you do your grocery shopping to see what fresh seafood options are on sale. Specials can also be ways to get rid of surplus. More Awesome Stuff.	One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad	Avocado Quinoa Power Salad Chicken Alfredo Penne Budget Tip: Budget-friendly canned fish, like tuna and wild salmon, are convenient options for fast and healthy dinners on a budget. At a	72 Cheap Dinner Ideas for Weeknight Meals · Inside-Out Stuffed Cabbage · Teriyaki Chicken Thighs · Easy Tamale Pie with Peppers · Hearty Pasta Fagioli 80 Cheap Dinner Recipes That Are Practically Easier Than Ordering Delivery · Taco Spaghetti · White Chicken Chili · Chicken Tamale Pie · Classic 61 Cheap Dinner Ideas That Do the Most With the Least · Pasta With 20 Cloves of Garlic · Smoky, Spicy Creole Red Beans and Rice · Vegetarian
Glaze chicken wings in memu Discounted household goods and serve Discounted household goods mfnu rice for an easy family meal. Once you do, it comes together in 15 minutes. Chili with Beans. In other words, go hard or go home. They mash it up, add some spice and it's done.	It makes a speedy midweek meal. Then, you have the issue of quality. Recipe: One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta. We think that seafood is better quality, more exclusive and therefore worth the expense. Fun, easy, and delicious! Pictured Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Stew. The cheese gets that irresistible toasty flavor, and the pasta seems to absorb all of the amazing sauce.	One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad	When you need a cheap, easy, healthy meal, it's time for a stir-fry. The pre-chopped packaged frozen vegetables save time in the kitchen and One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Sweet Potato And Black Bean Burritos. canadian24houropharmacy.shop	Budget dinner recipes · Stir-fried beef with ginger · Spicy 'vedgeree' · Turkey pasta bake · Waste-nothing chicken & dumpling stew · Speedy lentil 1. Apples · 2. Bananas · 3. Beans · 4. Brown Rice · 5. Chicken · 6. Corn Tortillas · 7. Eggs · 8. Flour Missing

Affordable menu options - Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto One-Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Chicken Alfredo Penne Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

You'll be glad you did! It's hard to beat a Crock Pot for turning inexpensive ingredients into a heavenly meal. Chicken thighs work best in this dish, dark meat especially, but nearly any chicken can work.

Skip the wine if you need to replace it with stock , but don't use cooking wine, or anything you wouldn't drink. Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup. This simple vegetable soup is surprisingly sustaining. With beans and broccolini, tomato and quinoa, it'll make a belly-filling bowl that can power you through an afternoon, or quench a serious dinner hunger.

Get the recipe for Vegetable Soup. Nothing beats mac and cheese for filling bellies! What makes this extra easy is that the macaroni cooks right in the sauce. So you don't have to boil it ahead of time! Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese.

Puff pastry makes this extra-yummy pot pie both simple and delicious! Get the recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. Serve this staple-filled soup with good, crusty bread for a simple, effective, and delicious meal.

Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Potato Soup. Perhaps the only thing more warming and delicious than chicken soup on a cold day is chicken and dumplings. Get the recipe for Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings. This fast stovetop recipe skips roasting, but is steeped in flavor.

And with just a few ingredients mostly squash , it's easy on the wallet! You can skip the brandy and use a little more cider to save some cost.

Get the recipe for One-Pot Butternut Squash Soup. Some chicken cutlets and pantry staples — and plenty of Parmesan, of course — can quickly turn into this family favorite. Get the recipe for Chicken Parmesan.

The underrated tuna melt, that staple of diners and lunch plates everywhere, deserves to be making a big time comeback.

You probably have most of the ingredients in your fridge right now. What are you waiting for? Get the recipe for Tuna Melt. If you're looking for a way to use ground beef in a spicy, simple dinner that'll make the whole family happy, then you've just found your recipe for tonight!

Get the recipe for Tamale Pie. This ground beef enchilada dinner is especially a winner. A little taco seasoning, some corn tortillas, a can of enchilada sauce, cover it with cheese and boom! You've got a powerhouse meal for four or for two, with leftovers ready to go.

Get the recipe for Beef Enchiladas. Want to make your whole family feel taken care of? Treat them to a baked pasta dish. It's easy, it's cheap, and it's super filling.

Get the recipe for Classic Stuffed Shells. Who's in the mood for a minute dinner? Besides gnocchi and frozen spinach, all you need for this meal is some cream, some cheese, and a few pantry spices.

Get the recipe for Gnocchi with Creamed Spinach. This veggie fried rice is also a great call if you get home hungry — Instant Pot to the rescue! Recipe: Healthier Veggie Fried Rice. Let's just face the facts: quinoa in salad is elite. This salad is a vegetarian's dream, with a refreshing combo of cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach.

Top it all off with a lemony dressing to really seal the deal. Recipe: Avocado Quinoa Power Salad. Stir-fry is always a good idea. This recipe is flexible, since we all know stir-fry can be made with everything and the kitchen sink and still taste delicious! You can even switch out the rice for noodles for a change in texture.

This recipe is easy and delicious — and, even better, you can swap out some of the vegetables for ones already in your fridge. If you have tofu, dijon, and something green, you are most of the way there. Get scrambling! Recipe: Tofu Scramble. It only takes 15 minutes to whip up this simple-but-satisfying masterpiece.

Plus, the whole recipe only requires one pan. So not only will cooking be easy, but so will clean up! Recipe: Cheese Tortellini in Creamy Marinara.

Craving sushi but don't want to go out? We got you. Even better, the recipe is flexible, so you can swap out the veggies or protein for whatever you happen to have on hand. Recipe: Sushi Bowl. The recipe calls for a mixture of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans, but of course you can swap in whatever canned beans or grains that are already in your kitchen.

Recipe: Vegan 3-Bean Chili. Recipe: Egg Pizza With Scallions. This hearty chickpea masala is the perfect recipe for vegetarians and can be prepared spicy or mild, depending on your taste.

The recipe calls for a splash of heavy cream, but you can use coconut milk to keep it vegan. Recipe: Cauliflower and Chickpea Masala. This easy, kid-friendly dish starts with crescent roll dough on the bottom, then it's loaded with ground beef, cheese, and any of your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe: Taco Pizza. This recipe uses baby kale to stuff the toast cups, but feel free to use spinach or arugula if kale isn't your favorite. Recipe: Bacon and Egg Toast Cups. Feel free to use any hearty veggies you have on hand in place of the beets and radishes. Brussels sprouts, diced sweet potatoes, and carrots would all work well.

Recipe: Baked Eggs With Roasted Vegetables. This creamy mac 'n' cheese is loaded with all kinds of good stuff, like white cheddar, broccoli, and seared chicken. Leave out the chicken. Broccoli isn't your favorite? Feel free to substitute it with whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Recipe: White Cheddar Mac 'n' Cheese With Chicken and Broccoli. This baby is everything you love about caprese and grilled cheese crammed into one delicious sandwich.

Serve it with salad or soup, and you've got yourself a dinner that's both fancy and budget-friendly. Recipe: Caprese Grilled Cheese. This recipe calls for a lot of basic ingredients you'll already have in the pantry. It makes six to eight servings too, so you can enjoy leftovers for lunch all week.

Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup. Dal is a timeless classic — and this version is an ideal starter if you've never made it before. You only need a handful of ingredients, and the whole thing only takes 20 minutes.

The original recipe calls for red split lentils, but if you want to get more creative, add some French lentils, too. Recipe: Dal. Black bean patties are one of the most popular alternatives to meat. They're also pretty easy to make. Recipe: Black Bean Burgers.

Recipe: Tuna Melt. Pair it with any greens you have handy! Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Glazed Chicken. Tangy, spicy kimchi or Korean-style fermented vegetables is another way to add a ton of flavor to a dish for not a lot of money.

Keep a jar stocked in the fridge, then work it into fried rice, noodle bowls, or burgers. Recipe: Minute Kimchi Fried Rice. Recipe: Rice Bowl With Fried Egg And Avocado. Recipe: Southwest Turkey, Vegetable, and Rice Skillet.

This recipe calls for only three ingredients, and you can always add a protein to the mix if you want. Recipe: Creamy Tomato Shells. Recipe: Chicken Pesto Bowls.

Recipe: Zucchini Corn Quesadillas. Recipe: One-Pan Pizza Chicken. Recipe: Super-Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad. Recipe: One-Pot Caprese Chicken Pasta. Recipe: Vegan Creamy Kale Pasta. Recipe: Greek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Recipe: One-Pot Bacon Broccoli Mac 'n' Cheese.

Recipe: Spicy Chipotle Buddha Bowl With Cauliflower Rice. Recipe: Chicken and Mandarin Salad With Simple Sesame Dressing. Recipe: 5-Ingredient Coconut Curry. Recipe: Garlic Butter Capellini Pomodoro With Shrimp.

Recipe: Vegetarian Sheet Pan Zucchini Parmesan. Recipe: Vegetable Enchilada Casserole. The recipe calls for both whole wheat spaghetti and zucchini noodles, but you can skip the spaghetti if you want to go fully low-carb. Recipe: Burst Tomato and Zucchini Spaghetti With Avocado Sauce.

Recipe: Amazing Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos. Recipe: P. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps. A super-straightforward weeknight dinner that you can serve with grilled chicken if you want some added protein.

Recipe: Orzo With Spinach and Roasted Red Peppers. Introducing your new favorite pasta sauce, made with nothing more than egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, and fresh lemon.

Recipe: Pappardelle Al Limone. This recipe calls for tofu, broccoli, and sweet potato, but you can always swap in whatever protein and veggies you like best. Recipe: 5-Ingredient Thai Green Curry. Orzo, sliced sausage, bell pepper, heavy cream, and a handful of spices are all there is to this Cajun-inspired skillet.

Recipe: Sausage and Creamy Cajun Orzo Skillet. Grab some chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, canned diced tomatoes, ranch dressing, and canned fiesta corn mix to make this heartwarming chicken soup with a Mexican flair.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Chicken Tortilla Soup. Have toast for dinner, but make it fancy with this mixture of artichoke hearts, spinach white beans, and basil mashed into a creamy and savory spread.

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